The present invention relates to a laundry detergent composition which is incorporated with a stable, quick dissolving, free flowing cyclodextrin in a granular form for removing malodor from laundered items during automatic washing, and a process for forming a non-gelling, quick dissolving, free flowing cyclodextrin in a granular form for improving the malodor control properties of a laundry detergent composition. The purpose of this invention is to provide a laundry detergent composition and a process that enables one to incorporate cyclodextrin directly into laundry detergent compositions so as to improve the odor absorbing and wrinkle controlling properties of the laundry detergent product formed from such a laundry detergent composition, in such a way that when inanimate surfaces, primarily fabrics, and especially cotton fabrics are washed, any odors contained therein are substantially removed. The cyclodextrin containing laundry detergents made by the process of this invention can also be used for washing other inanimate surfaces, such as household upholsteries, drapes, carpets, rugs, and the like.
While cyclodextrin is a known odor absorbing material, it is commercially available only in the form of a fine amorphous powder which is not free-flowing, extremely dusting, and also explosive. Consequently, it has heretofore not only been very difficult, but even hazardous to incorporate cyclodextrin into a granular detergent composition because of processing limitations, and because of the explosive nature of non-complexed cyclodextrin.
It has been desirable to have a laundry detergent composition in particulate and non-particulate form which is adapted to remove malodor from heavily soiled and smelly clothes, such as those worn by butchers, mechanics and the like, and a process for forming a free flowing cyclodextrin in a granular form which can be incorporated into a granular laundry detergent composition, and which is easily dissolvable along with the rest of the laundry detergent composition ingredients in the wash solution during automatic fabric washing, such that the cyclodextrin retains a substantially full odor absorbing and odor entrapping strength, so that it is most active in removing malodor from heavily soiled and smelly laundry items.
It has been recognized by the inventors of this particular invention that it is extremely advantageous to have a detergent composition which has a unique form of cyclodextrin granules, i.e., those having an Odor Loading factor of at least about 50, as defined herein, and a method of forming a free-flowing, non-gelling, dissolvable, granular form of cyclodextrin similar in size and shape to the base granules of the laundry detergent composition, so that any useful level of the cyclodextrin may be incorporated in the overall laundry detergent composition without adversely affecting its flowability and scoopability properties and at the same time imparting the useful odor-controlling properties of cyclodextrin to the laundry detergent composition, to effectively remove most of the malodor from excessively smelly clothes.
The present invention overcomes the problems, as set forth above.